Clasp for wrist band



May 15, 1962 M. E. TWENTIER 3,034,189

CLASP FOR WRIST BAND Filed Nov. 1e, 1959 INVENTOR f4 MAX E WENT/ER.

3,034,189 v CLASP FOR WREST BAND Max E. Twentier, 4716 West Indianola, Glendale; Ariz. Fiid Now-16, 1959,-Ser. No. 853,097 4 Claims. (Cl. Z4l-2l3) The present invention relates to a clasp or fastener for securing an identification band to the Wrist as for example to the Wrist of an infant or a patient in a hospital or institution.

-Af'ter an identifica-tion band has been initially applied it is important to avoid all possibility of the clasp serving to secure the band to a different child or patient.

Bands of the type employed for the above mentioned purpose are preferably inthe form of a section of tape of flexible tubular material or the like into which an identiiication tag is inserted. The band having been positioned about the Wrist, the ends of the tape are disposed in overlapping relation and it is necessary .to provide simple and effective connecting means to secure the tape ends to provide a wrist band.

In accordance with the present inventiont-he band ends are secured by means of a clasp which, when closed to secure the band ends, cannot be opened to release the band without rendering the claspinoperative for further use.

An object of the invention is to provide a clasp for connecting the ends of a strip of material by a simple operation to secure the ends of the strip land lock the jawsof the cl-asp.

Another object of `the invention is to provide a clasp having clamping members includ-ing locking mean-s inaccessible When the clamping members are in closed relation.

Another object of the invention is to provide a clasp having clamping members of a frangible material and including locking means which may be shattered in part to separate the clamping members rendering the clasp inoperative for further use to secure the ends of a section of a strip of material.

Other objects and advantages ot the invention will be more Vclearly understood by reference to the following description together with Ithe accompanying drawing in which:

FIG. l is a perspective view of a clasp, constructed in accordance with the present invention; shown closed to secure the ends of a strip of tape to provide a Wrist band;

FIG. 2 is an enlarged view of the clasp taken on line 2-2 of FIG. l;

FG. 3 is a perspective View of the parts of the clasp;

FIG. 4 is a perspective view showing one end of a tape secured by the clasp;

FIG. 5 is a view taken on line 5-5 in FIG. 4; and

FIG. 6 is a cross secticnalview of a modified form of the clasp. s

As shown, thepresent invention" provides a clasp 10 for holding oppositeends of a tape 11 in xed relation to secure the tape about the wrist. The tape may be of any selected iiexi'ble material to carry identifying characters which may be applied to the outer surface of the tape or the tape may be of tubular form and a tag may -be inser-ted before the ends are` secured together.v

The clasp 10 includes 'aA pair of Wha-t may be termed clamping members 12 and 13 connected by a hinge portion 14. Although the clamping members may, if desired, be connected by Vany suitable form of hinge it has been found'practicaltoform the clamping members and the hinge from' the same material. s

It has also been found that aplastic such as polystyrene of high or low impact may be employed and the clasp and parts may be formed by injection molding A 3,@3483 Patented May' 15', rss2 process. When so `formed the clasp or unit has suicient tensile strenth for the purpose intended while beingsufficiently frangible to make practical the removal of a portion to separate the clamping members after having been locked to secure the ends of a tape `as. will be eX- plained. Y s s 4 l v l As shown in the drawing the clamping member .12,

which rmay be termed. Ithetop orY upper memberl consistsu 0f a relatively thick portion 15 which is reduced in thickness at one end to provide a hinge 14.k Adjacent to" the free end of, and extending romfthe underside of f member 12 is a locking member 16 `havinga jaw 17. The locking member 16 is elongated and disposed in a channel 18 formed by surface 19 and the arcuate tree end 21 of the member 12.

The lower member 13 also includes a relatively thick portion 22 which is reduced in thickness to provide the hinge 14. The member 13 is also formed with a channel indicated by the reference character 22' between surface 2&3 and an Aarcuate surface 224 at the tree end-of member 13. Within the channel 2'2 is a locking member 25 having a jaw 26 for engagement with jaw 17 of locking member 16 when the members are in closed relation to secure the ends of a section of tape. As Willbe noted;

when the members 12 and 13 are in closed relation the' edges 12 and 13 at the free ends of clamping members 12 and y13 respectively are in contact thus preventingaccess to the jaws when locked and 'providing an enclosure or housing for the locking means.

The locking member 25 disposed in channel Z2.'y is also provided with an elongated lip 27, the purpose of which Will be hereinafter explained.

As stated, the present clasp serves to secure the free' ends of a strip` of tape. When a tape' is to' be secured about the Wrist i-t s desirable 'to be able to rst secure one end of the tape to the clasp before the clam-pinghaving raised contact beads 32 and the membermay be' of the same material as' the` clamping members 12 and 13. At one end of plate 31 isa hub 33 having a flat surface 34 and a rounded surface 35.

At the other end of vplate 31 is a hub 36` similar to hub 33' but having slot 37 lthereby providing across bar .orl retainer str-ip 38 with a ila-t edge 39 (see FIG. 5). outer surface of the cross bar 38' has vacurved'surfa'ce for contact with the inner surface 12a-of lowerclamping member 13.

lVhen the ends of a sectionof tape lllare'tobe secured in fixed relation the 'intermediate member 3is positioned' between the clamping members 12 and 13 with the hub: 33`positioned in contact with the inner-arcuate surf-aceY 41 ofhinge 14. An end-i2 of thetape 11is then positioned in contact with the inner surface of clamping member 13and with -the'tape end inalignrnent withan edge ofthe member 13.'

The intermediate memb'e'r't is then pressed down upony the tapefend to compress the' raised'beads V32 into the tape. As the intermediate'memberispressed into contact With the tape end it rocks aboutthe hub 33 to cause'jaw 25 of clamping member 13to'bepositioned'in slot 37 otr the intermediatel member 30 andcase elongated lip 27 to engage flat edge 39 of hub 36 and lock the intermediate member in contact with the tape end.

, the edges 12' and 13 of the upper and lower clampingv members 12 and 13 make contact to enclose the locking means in a housing to prevent access to the locking means except by destruction of some part ofthe clasp.

Although the band, when in use, may be c-ut thereby destroying further use, it may be desirableY to preserve the tape. As stated, theV clasp isformed by molding and of i 1 a material which has ample strength Yto holdthe tape ends but which is suiciently frangible-to be broken if reduced in thickness, As shown, the upper clamping member 12 is formed with a relatively thin Wall 44 connecting the free end 45 of member 12'with the body portion 15 therey of. Thus when the clamping members are in locked relain closed relation, said intermediate member having a hub at one end for disposition in Contact with the hinge of said clamping members, said intermediate member having a hub at the other end thereof, said hub having an edge positioned for engagement with said elongated lip to hold one end of said tape in contact with one of said clamping members prior to the movement of the other of said clamping members to compress the other end of said tape into Contact with said intermediate member when said clamping members are moved'to closed relation.

3. A clasp for securing the ends Vof a section of tape, comprising a pair of hingedly connected clamping members, a locking member extending from each of the opposed surfaces ofV said clamping members for positive engagement when said clamping members are inV closed relation, one of said clamping members having an elongated lip, an intermediate member for disposition n between said tape ends when said clam-ping members are tion pressure may be applied to end 45 to break it away from the body portion 15 and since, as shown, the jaw 17y is integral with end 15 the locking means is destroyed and the clamping members may be separated to release the tape ends. The clasp, however, cannot be again put to use.

Althoughas above pointed out the present clasp makes it possible to rst hold one end of a tape before securing both ends it will be evident that as shown in FIG.Y6 clamp members 46 and 47 may be employed having jaws 48 and 49 respectively. As' shown, the jaws are interlocked and surfaces 51 and S2 of members 46 and 47' respectively compress ends 53 and 54 of Va tape in iiXed relation. Each of the clamping members 46 and 47 is formed with an arcuate free end to enclose the locking jaws. Thus when the tape ends are secured edges 55 and 56 engage whereby the jaws are enclosed against manual separation. A separation of the jaws may be attained by breaking away the free end of member 46 at the provided groove 57 which reduces the thickness of the wall of member 46.

From the foregoing it will be evident that the present invention provides a claspV including movable membersY whichV when closed secure the ends of a wrist band by locking means enclosed ina housing having the smooth outer surface desirable in an article to be carried on the Wrist.

Although a preferred embodiment of the invention is shown and described herein, it is to be understood that modifications may be made therein without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention as set forth in the appended claims.

What is claimed is: Y

1. Aclasp for securing the ends of a section of tape against Vseparation without rendering the clasp inoperative for future use, comprising a pair of hingedly connected clamping members, a locking member extending from each of thel opposed surfaces of said clamping members for Xed interlocking engagement .when said clamping members are in closed relation, and means integral with said clamping members to enclose said locking members, one of said clamping members having a weakened portion to facilitate the fracture thereof for the of said tape. Y Y

2. A clasp for securing the ends of a section of tape, comprising a pair of hingedly connected clamping members, a locking member extending from each of the opposed surfaces of said clamping members for positive engagement when said` clamping members are in closed Vseparation'of said clamping members to release the ends relation, one of said clamping members having an elongated lip, an intermediate member for disposition be-k tween said tape ends When said clamping members are in closed relation, said intermediate member having a hub at one end for disposition in contact with the hinge of said clampingV members, the other end of Said intermediate member having a hub provided with a slot, said slothaving an edge positioned for engagement with said elongated lip to hold one eend of said tape in contact with one of said clamping members prior to the movement of the other of said clamping members to compressV the other end of said tape into contact with said intermediateV member when saidV clamping members are moved to closed relation.

4. A clasp for securing the ends of a section of tape, comprising a pair of hingedly connected clamping members, a locking member extending from each of the opposed surfaces of said clamping members for positive engagement when said clamping members are in closed relation, one of said clamping members having an elongated lip, an intermediate member for disposition between said tape ends When said clamping members are in closed relation, said intermediate member having a hub at one end for disposition in contact fwith the hinge of said clamping members, the other end of said intermediate member having a hub provided with a slot, Vsaid slot having an edge positioned for engagement with said elongated lip to hold one end of said tape in contact with one of said'clamping members prior to the movement of the other of said clamping members to compress the other end of said tape into contact with said intermediate member when said clamping members are moved to closed relation, said Vclamping members having cooperating end portions disposed in contact to prevent separation of said locking members without rendering said clasp inoperative for future use.

References Cited in the tile of this patent UNTED STATES PATENTS 30,969 HevvsVv Dec. 18, 1860 486,256 Leehey et al Nov. 15, 1892 483,605 Fien Oct. 4, 1892 1,217,125 Falter Feb. 20, 1917 1,252,906 Kestenman Jan. 18, 1918 1,412,813 Aves Apr. l1, 1922 1,439,510 Foster Dec. 19, 1922 1,456,990 Montgomery 'May 29, 1923 1,488,594 Gaschke -Aprl 1, 1924 1,599,157- Wilson Sept. 7, `1926 1,918,257 Forsyth July 18, 1933 1,952,333. Pfeiffer Mar. 27, 1934 2,818,871 Beaudry Jan. 7, 1958 FOREIGN PATENTS 23,496 Great Britain of 1903 29,839 Great Britain of 1909 670,375

Great Britain Apr. 16, 1952 Mnl,... 

